Wall bed or bed structure.



P. BARNUM. WALL BED OR BED STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. l9l3.

1,258,978. Patented Mar. 12, 1918.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 'VVITNESSES:

a; a \uer'eq P. BARNUM'.

WALL BED 0R BED STRUCTURE. APPLICATION mgr) APR. 9. 1913.

1,258,978. Patented Mar. .12, 191a.

3 sugars-sassy 2.

llll

WITNESSES:

I nyfazfeiw 3m mare P. BARNUM'. WALL BED 0R BED'STRUCTURE.

Patented Mar. 12, 1918.

APPLICATION FILED ARR. 9. I913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- Z Z a X I m .\IlllIlllIIIILIIIIlNIIIMPIIIIIUI mm x WITNESSES:

PAUL BARNUM, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

WALL BED OR BED STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 12, 1918.

Application filed April 9, 1913. Serial No. 759,881.

1/ 0 all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL BARNUM, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Wall Beds or Bed Structures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wall beds or bed structures.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved wall bed or bed structure involving a vertical support mounted for horizontal movement and having connections for maintaining the support in a substantially vertical plane, said connections being movable in a horizontal plane through a limited range. The vertical structure is so secured to said connections as to have relatively thereto a movement of 360 about a vertical axis at such positions in the swinging movement of said connections as may be possible due to the contiguous walls or other structure to which the connections may be pivotally secured.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vertical support having guideways at its vertical edges by which are controlled the movements of the contiguous end of a tiltable bed-frame, the latter being connected, between its foot and head ends, by swinging links to said vertical structure and guide member, whereby when pressure is applied at the outer or swinging end of the bed-frame, when adjusted in the horizontal position, the latter will ri e at its inner or head end being carried in part by said swinging links. Another object is to provide in connection with said tiltable bedframe a counterbalancing or approximately counterbalancing device arranged upon the horizontally movable vertical support for facilitating the upward movement of the bed-frame; and to provide a foldable legframe at the outer end of the bed-frame for supporting the same when adjusted in horizontal position and for adding an ornamental vfinish to the bed, said tiltable legframe having the further function, when folded over and parallel to the bed-frame and when the latter is adjusted in vertical position, to partly carry the load of the structure, means being provided for fastening the leg-frame in its parallel adjustment.

It is one of the important objects of the present invention to design and provide a tiltable wall bed comprising a guide structure, with relation to which the contiguous end of a bed-frame is movable and by which it is controlled in its movements in a vertical plane, and to attach to the tiltable bedframe a support ata transverse portion between its ends which moves in a substantially horizontal plane throughout the adjustment of the bed-frame from a vertical to a horizontal position or vice-Vera; such portion in a line transverse of the bed is substantially an axis as regards the tilting action of the bed, about which axis the outer swinging end of the bed Will drop while the inner or head end of the bed will rise. It is also an object of the invention to connect to the bed-frame counterbalancing means, the force of which is insufiicient to lift the bed-frame from a horizontal position, when its outer end is supported on a foldable leg-frame provided for that purpose, until said foldable leg-frame is rendered inoperative by movement upwardly over the bed-frame, whereupon the load previously resting upon said leg-frame is transmitted to the supports connected at the horizontally moving transverse axis of the bedframe, after which the connterbalancing means tending to lift the bed-frame becomes operative and of suflicient effect to automatically rock the bed frame. This lifts the head or inner end of the frame about the neutral axis and depresses the unbalanced and unresisted extreme foot portion, whereafter by the application of sli ht pressure at the foot of the bed-frame,

the latter moves upwardly at itshead end downwardly at its foot end; the head end being guided by the guide structure while the bed-frame is carried upwardly on swinging links connected to the guide structure below the plane occupied by the bed-frame when in a horizontal position.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of the improved bed structure with the bed-frame adjusted in a horizontal position. 1

Fig. 2 is a detail plan view partly in section of the vertical guide structure and contiguous bed rails.

Fig. '3 is an enlarged detail elevational View of one lower corner of the vertical guide structure, showing the interconnection of the bed-frame rail. 7 r

Fig. 4 is a front view ofthe bed structure adjusted in vertical position.

Fig. 5 is a side or edge view of the same.

' Fig. 6 is a detail view of the retaining track of the guideway and the bed roller.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view representing the positions to which the bed structure may be adjusted, with relation to a wall, by means of its swinging connections.

My present invention comprises a bedframe 2 of suitable proportions and construction, connected to the rails of which, intermediate therein, are side links 3, attached by pivots 4 to therails of the bed at their outerswinging ends. The opposite ends of the links 3 are pivotally connected at 5't0 bear-in gs 6 having slots 7 through which pass fastening bolts 8. By means of the bolts 8 the plates 6' are firmly secured to the contiguous portion of a suitable vertical structure or frame 10, here shown as having channel irons or other suitable guideways 11 at its vertical side edges in which run guide rollers 12 attached by suitable trunnions '13 to the adjacent or inner end of the bedframe 2.

The inner end of the bed-frame 2 is adapted for vertical movement along the guideways 11 so that it may be adjusted from a horizontal position, shown in Fig. 1, to a vertical position, shown in Fig. 5, during which movement of the bed-frame from one position to the other its load is transmitted by the links 3 to the bearing plates attached to the supporting structure 10.

The foot end 0 the bed is supported when adjusted in a horizontal position by a legframe 14, connected adjacent the lower ends of the legs at pivots 15 to links 16 pivoted at 17 to the extreme foot endof the bed-frame 2. The leg-frame 14 is also con nected to the frame 2 by links 18, the swinging ends of-which are connected to the legframe and the pivotal ends of which are attached at 20 to the bed-frame 2. The relation of the pivots 17 and '20 on the bed-frame 2 and the pivots 15 and 19 on the leg-frame 14 is such that when the leg or foot-frame is adjusted in vertical position tosupport the bed horizontally, the pivots 15 swing inwardly past the vertical plane of the pivots 17 of the links 16; the coordinate links 18 swinging to an inclined position, indicated in Fig. 1, and acting as braces to prevent accidental folding of the foot-frame 14. While the foot end of the bed is supported in horizontal position upon the foot-frame 14 the head end of the bed is supported by the engagement of the rollers 12 With a support or stop block 21 in each of the'guideways'll at the edges of the vertical support 10.

For maintaining the frame or structure 10 in a substantially vertical plane, to its upper and lower transverse members 22 and 23 are pivotally connected, as at 24, radius links 25, which preferably are of a length somewhat greaterthan one-half the width of the bed structure. The pivotal ends of the links 25 are detachably' fastened, as by bolts or other suitable pivotal members 26, to such contiguous supports as may be ac cessibly or conveniently arranged or located in a building or structure where the wall bed is to be mounted.

The device or links 25 are'pivoted at one end to a fixed support of such relation to the doorway that they allow the carrier or frame 10, with its superposed article of furniture, to freely move turntabledike in a horizontal plane at any point in the orbit of the connections 24, limited only by the adjacent wall, if there be any. The bed structure, includ ing the vertical support 10, is movable in a complete circle about the alined pivots 24 and 24 at the ends of the links; the'load or weight of the bed structure and its vertical support 10 being carried at all times by I rollers or casters 28 is provided at the ends of the foot or leg-frame 14, these rollers in conjunction with the rollers 27 entirely supporting thebed either in its horizontal or vertical position, 7

When it is desired to change the position of the bed from a horizontal one, Fig. 1, to the vertical, Fig. 5, the foot-frame 1.4- is grasped and swung outwardly and upwardly over the foot end of the bed-frame 2 until it is carried into a position substantially parallel with the bed-frame, as indicated in Fig. 5, when it may be locked in that position by means of a suitable type of lock or clamp 29, Figs. 4 and 5. One portion of the clamp is secured to a head-frame 30 which is foldably connected to the head end of the frame 2 by coiiperative' links 31,'pivoted at their outer ends to the foldable head-frame 1 30 and at their opposite ends at 32 to a contiguous portion of the bed-frame 2.

When the foldable frames 14 and 80v are turned downwardly over thebedding and mattress,indicated at 33, supported upon springs Zlhthe pressure of the folded fraines will compres the mattress and bedding against the springs 3%, the reaction of which will s rvc to effectually hold the clamp in interlocked position, when the bedframe with its attached foldahle elements is turned to vertical position, Fig. 5.

The foldable log or foot-frame lat i designed to act as a support for share of the weight of the bed-frame both when the bedframe is adjusted in its horizontal posi ion or when adjusted in vertical position, in each case the foot frame is: assuming a vertical position, wi 1 relation to the floor, but changing its po n from perpendicular to frame 2 in one instance to a )osition parallel to the frame 2, as shown in Fig. in this way the two sets of rollers or casters 2T'28 cooperate to carry the load of the bed structure all times and permit of its being swung or moved in a horizontal plane. The rollers also support the bed-frame and its vertical guide structure when disconnecting the radius linlzs 25 when it becomes necessary to transport the bed from one posi tion or room to another in a building or apartment.

Gne of the important features of the present invention is in providing a structure in foldable beds which will be absolutely safe against accident of folding and thus avoid possible in y to occupants and which involves means tending to nor? lly lift the vertically guided end of the bed-frame,tlnis facilitating the movement thereof and rendering the application of a small amount of pressure at the foot or swinging end of the bed to effect its adjustment:- from horizontal to vertical. By locating that portion ofthe rails of the bed-frame 2 which will constantly move in a horizontal plane and connecting thereto an auxiliary support 35, then as the upper end of the bed approaches the horizontal position the support 85 will come into effect to take up some of the load of the bed and so relieve the counterweights of much of the increasing load, wing to the decreasin supporting effect of the arms 3 as they swing to the horizontal. Thus that portion of the bed-frame overhanging the axis or portion 36 to which the supports are attached will counterbalance an equal part of the remaining weight of the bedframe between the fulcrum and the head end of the bed. By connecting to the head end of the bed-frame 2. which is vertically movable through the guideways 11, any suitable devices tending to lift the bed -it'ranie, the devices will become equally effective to tilt the bed about the fulcrums 36 slightly as soon as the foldable leg-frame ll is removed.

The counterbalancing device is shown in the present instance as constituting a weight 37 vertically movable uponthe supporting structure 10. The weight is connected by cables or other flexible connections 38 running over guide pulleys 39 and thencodownwardly in the guideways 11 to and connecting with the head end of :the bed-frame 2, as shown in Fig. 3, although it is :understood that any suitable means tending to lift the bed-frame 2 may be utilized in lieu of the counterweight 37.

In Fig. 6 one of the guideways 11 is illustrated, in which is secured a track 11 of suitable transverse contour, which has the function of engaging the adjacent guide roller 12 to prevent lateral movementof the same and thus eliminate any shaking or clattering of the bed structure during its movement from one position to another.

By attaching both inner edges of the bedframe to a single counterweight, *both edges act in unison when closing, and :as this weight is accessible from the baclg-and of a sectional construction, pieces can be added to properly counterbalance the weight ofathe bedding, etc.

A curtain 10 or other concealing means may be attached to the support 10 so as :to cover any doorway or passageway over which the bed structure may be adjusted. ll hen the bed is adjusted vertically, the frame 10 is concealed or covered at one side by the curtain and on the other side by the folding head and foot-frames and the bedding.

fit about the portion of the bed-frame at the horizontally moving axis is provided aseries of holes 36' in inclined series, in one of which the fulcrums 36 of the auxiliary legs 35 may be inserted, as determined by diverse conditions the legs 'beingadjustable in length by the turnbuckle 35".

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A tiltable bed structure comprising a vertical support forming a guide, a tiltable bed-frame, links connected to the rails of the bed intermediate the ends thereof, one end of the frame engaging said guide part, and adjustable bearings on the support to which said links are turnably connected.

2. A bed structure comprising a support with guideways arranged vertically at its sides, a bed-frame engaged at one end by and movable along said guideways to a vertical position or horizontal positipn, links pivotally connected to the support and at their swinging ends to the bed-frame between its ends whereby the free end of the frame is carried toward and from the support during vertical movement of the other end at the guideways, a folding leg-frame connected to the outer end of the bed-frame, means tending to lift the inner end of the bed-frame, and supports connected to the bed-frame at the neutral plane and onto &

which a part of the weight of the bed frame is thrown when the leg-frame is folded up from supporting position when the bed-frame is down.

3. A bed structure comprising a support with guideways arranged Vertically at its sides, a bed-frame en aged at one end by and movable along said guideways to a vertical position or horizontal position, links pivotally connected to the support and at their swinging ends to the bed-frame between its ends whereby the free end of the frame is carried toward and from the sup port during vertical movement of the other end at the guideways, a foldingleg-frame connected to the outer end of the bed-frame, means tending to lift the inner end of the bed-frame, and swinging supports connected to the bed-frame and onto which a part of the weight of the bed-frame is thrown when the leg-frame is folded up from supporting position when the bed frame'is down.

4. A bed structure comprising a vertically adjustable bed-frame means for carrying the bed-frame during its movement, members cooperating with one end of the frame to control its movement a counterbalance connected to the bed-frame, s id frame having perforations at locations in its rails which move in substantially a horizontal plane during the vertical adjustment of the frame, and auxiliary supports selectively,

connected to the frame at such perforations, the overhanging portion of the bed-frame tending to lift the opposite end and assist the counterbalance.

5. A bed structure comm-rising a vertically adjustablebed-frame, means for carrying the bed-frame during its movement, members cooperating with one end of the frame to control its movement, a counterbalance connected to the bed-frame, said frame having perforations at locations in its rails which move in substantially a horizontal plane during the Vertical adjustment of the frame, auxiliary supports selectively con- Copies of this patent may be obtained for nected to the frame at such perforations, the overhanging portion of the bed-frame tending to lift the opposite end and assist the counterbalance, and a foot-frame adjustably connected to the frame for supporting the same when adjusted therebelow.

6. A bed structure comprisinga bed-frame movable from Vertical to horizontal position, means for supporting the frame, acounten balance for facilitating the movements of the frame, an end and footframe foldably connected to the bed-frame and adjustable in one position over the bedding and in another vertically to support the bed when horizontal, and an auxiliary support connected to and adjacent the outer end of the frame for temporarily supporting the same until the foot-frame is positioned.

7. In combination with a tiltable bed, a support to which'the bed is foldably connected, and a means for facilitating the tilting of the bed, said means consisting of a counterbalancing member and connections between said member and the opposite sides of the bed whereby its entire force is automatically transferred to act upon one side of the bed when an extraneous lifting force is applied at the opposite side of the frame.

8. In combination with a tiltable bed, a support to which the bed is foldably coir nected, a means for facilitating the tilting of the bed, said meansconsisting of a counterbalancing member, and a flexible connection between said member and the opposite corners of the adjacent end of the frame so that when a lifting force is applied to either corner the entire force of said mem ber becomes effective upon the other corner.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL BARNUM.

Witnesses: V i

JOHNVVH. HERRING, W. W. HEALEY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

